IIQ BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOUr [Bull. 190 



was considered efficacious to the charms, they might be taken to him 

 or he might be brought to the game on the shoulders of the 

 young men. The man who was selected to play either previously had 

 had a dream indicating that he would wm or had a charm. One man 

 who had such a charm rubbed the plum stones with an ointment and 

 rarely failed to win." When the game started, the two parties 

 took their places on the opposite sides of the house, filling it from top 

 to bottom. The sick man was brought in in a blanket. Behind him 

 walked the man who was to play for the village, his head and face 

 wrapped in his garment. The two players were in the middle of the 

 house with their assistants, who held the charms. The bets between 

 individuals on both sides having been placed, the game was begun. 

 Everyone shouted and gestured with the hands, eyes, and face to 

 attract good luck. Some made contrary gestures and said other words 

 to drive bad luck back to the other side. When the opposite side took 

 the dish, they cried at the top of their voices achinc^ achinc, achinc^ 

 'Three, three, three,' or perhaps ioio^ ioio, ioio, wishing him to throw 

 only three white or three black. Beads, tobacco pouches, robes, shoes, 

 leggings, and the like were bet and the betting was heavy. Sometimes 

 so much was lost by one side, a participant returned home naked.^^ A 

 loss, however, was taken cheerfully. The participants did not leave 

 until the patient had thanked them for the health he had recovered 

 through their help ( JR 10 : 187-189 ; 17 : 201-207) . 



Another dice game,^^ using five or six fruit stones like those of 

 apricots blackened on one side, was usually played by the women 

 and girls although men and boys also played. They held the dice 

 in their hands and threw them a little upward onto a piece of leather 

 or skin stretched on the ground for that purpose. The stakes were 

 collars, earrings, and other such possessions (S 97). 



The stakes in such a game of chance were varied. One Huron, 

 having lost all his wealth, staked his hair, which he also lost, the 

 winner cutting it close to his scalp. Others gambled their little 

 finger and, losing the bet, had it cut off without showing any sign of 

 pain (JR 16: 201). Monetary losses might run to 200 or 300 ecus 

 (JR 15: 155). One village lost 30 wampum collars, each having 

 1,000 beads, equal to 50,000 pearls or pistoles in France (JR 17: 205; 

 cf . JR 17 : 77 — an account of a Mohawk losing by gambling the 

 wampum he had brought to another Iroquois nation to trade for 

 beaver.) 



^^ It is still said that there are medicines that will influence the outcome of the bowl 

 game (Shimony 1961 a : 172). 



11 Compare Morgan's (1901(1) : 282; cf. 1850: 83) statement, "It often happened that 

 the Indian gambled away every valuable article which he possessed ; his tomahawk, his 

 metal, his ornaments, and even his blanket." 



^ This game should not be confused with the bowl game ; although the rules are somewhat 

 similar, the two games are quite distinct. 



